Staring at a white notepad on screen of my laptop, trying to figure out what to write about this
album. Usually, I start by writing a bit of an introduction while I let the album kick in but here,
that becomes quite difficult. For the first six minutes nothing really happens. All I hear is an
ambient soundscape and a very slow build-up. Maybe it's an ambient-drone album? Oh, no it isn't. There's drums now and the whole thing is beginning to shift towards some psychedelic sounding stoner rock with some post-hardcore influences. Now it's full-on post-hardcore. Well, now it's post-rock.

That paragraph was written during the first ten minutes of the twenty five minutes lasting opening
song, named 'The Crust'. I really didn't know what to write at first so I just outed the monologue that went on in my head. If it sounded a bit negative, it wasn't intented to. This really is not a bad album, on the contrary. This is some nice jam-band improvisation, combining a number of different styles and genres and combining an impressive number of vocal styles as well.

Nauseahtake hails from Amsterdam, The Netherlands. They formed this band in order to improvise and jam together. Or at least, that's what this album sounds like. In three songs, lasting 25, 14 & 24 minutes, they create elaborate psychedelic pilgrimages which gradually but continuously shift and alter. The band seems to have been influences by an impressive amount of genres, including drone, psychedelic rock, classic rock, post rock, noise, doom and sludge.

The slower passages have a distinct seventies sound. I can imagine the lavalamp-effect projections on the wall while theses guys are playing live, creating an almost hippie-like experience. Yet, when things get heavier, they really do get heavier and blast out of our speakers like sonic steamrollers. It's here that the sludge effect becomes bigger and pretty overwhelming. For some people these heavy parts might be a but too much, but some of these outbursts are pretty darn good climaxes.

Combining all these influences isn't really something new, several bands use these genres as a
reference. However, Nauseahtake uses this blend in a very original way. "Improvisation" is the
keyword and anything can (and probably will) happen during jamsessions. These are four talented and attuned musicians who love nothing more than playing together. We at Merchants Of Air can only support people like these. So, check these guys out and follow them to see if they play anywhere near you. It will be worthwhile.

The album is available as a pay-what-you want download and as a limited edition double-LP.